Convicted paedophile Gerard Lynch has been seeking work as a guard on board First Great Western trains - a job that could give him access to families oblivious to his twisted past.

The former TV presenter and policeman was undergoing training as a train manager, or guard, with First Great Western after an application form containing false information was submitted.

'How safe would the public be?'

A whistleblower who contacted Wales on Sunday said: “How safe would members of the public be if First Great Western had taken on a train manager who is a convicted paedophile?”

First Great Western confirmed a member of staff had been dismissed during training for providing false information.

Lynch fled Ireland – where he worked on Crimewatch-style show Crimeline – for Wales after being jailed for nine months for travelling to a brothel to have sex with a 13-year-old girl.

Indecent images of children

In May 2011 the offender, then 50, was given a three-year community order at Cardiff Crown Court by Judge Niclas Parry after pleading guilty to four counts of making indecent images of children and one charge of possessing 666 images of extreme pornography. Prosecutor Sian Phillips said those “involved animals”.

In July that year, police launched an investigation after the former Irish Garda sergeant was snapped using a computer in a busy internet cafe. He was banned from using PCs that were not installed with software to stop him accessing child porn.

Lynch told Cardiff Crown Court in May 2011 he was unable to work because of medical conditions – he claimed then he was then awaiting his third operation on his bowel because of Crohn’s disease.

'Where else will he try to work?'

Chief executive of children’s charity Kidscape, Claude Knights, said: “It is a comfort to know that the employment did not continue, but there are so many aspects to this.”

“Where else will he try to work?

“One thing we know about predators is how persistent and devious they are.”

Lynch would have had “direct contact with the public and the public includes children.”

“Predators are really good at creating and exploiting opportunity,” Ms Knights said.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act

“It’s very chilling that this kind of employment was being sought.”

Ms Knights recognised Lynch would need to seek employment.

“We have got legislation such as the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act,” she said.

“The way to make them more safe is to have them in situations where they are integrated and fully occupied.

“But one would have to look carefully at the kind of employment a paedophile is allowed into.”

'Anyone who joins the railway network in a public facing role should be CRB checked'

Sources at the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union were aware Lynch had sought work with First Great Western.

One said: “First Great Western will say that he lied and there was nothing that they could do.

“But it is my understanding that anyone who joins the railway network in a public facing role should be CRB checked.”

As a guard Lynch would be “in charge of trains full of people, he would be in charge of their safety.”

“The railway rule book is very clear in stating that the guard, or train manager, is in charge of the train and everyone on it,” the source said.

“It is a position of responsibility and a position of trust.”

A spokesman for First Great Western said: “We can confirm that a member of staff was recently dismissed during their training period for providing false information on an application form.”